1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for forming countertops and the like from a laminated blank which includes a decorative thermoplastic sheet adhered to a support base by bending a side section of the blank into a substantially vertical back splash, and inserting a cove stick into a cove formed at the bend junction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus for forming countertops with a vertical back splash are well known in the prior art as evidenced by the disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,616,076, issued to Gepkens; 3,392,074, issued to Bartron; 3,668,033, issued to Evans and 3,028,275, issued to Peterson et al. These apparatus are complicated by the inclusion of mechanisms which aid in the performance of operations on a laminated blank in addition to the bending of the blank to form a vertical back splash and/or the securement of a cove stick in a cove formed at the bend junction of the blank. Specifically, in all of the above patented constructions mechanisms are provided for initially completing the formation of the laminated blank by bending ends of a thermoplastic sheet about the ends of a support base to adhere the ends of said sheet to said support base. Although some of the above apparatus support a laminated blank during the insertion of a cove stick into a cove formed at the bend junction between a vertical back splash and a substantially horizontal countertop section, none of these patented constructions include means for positively and automatically inserting the cove stick into the cove.
Many manufacturing establishments have exisiting equipment for completely fabricating a laminated blank which subsequently is to be formed into a countertop having a vertical back splash section. In these manufacturing establishments there is no need for complicated equipment of the type described in the above-referred to patents.
Relatively inexpensive, unautomated forming equipment does exist for bending a side section of a completely formed laminated blank into a vertical back splash. The Bechtold CT-12 coving machine, manufactured by Bechtold Engineering Company of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is representative of this type of equipment. In the Bechtold machine an operator manually forces a bend bar against a side section of the laminated blank to bend the side section into a substantially vertical back splash. This manual operation of the bend bar causes uncontrollable pressure variations during the bending operation, and these pressure variations can cause poor cove formation resulting in a large number of rejectable articles. In addition, manual operation of the bend bar causes operator fatigue which also contributes to unreliable operation of the machine.
In equipment for forming a back splash in a laminated blank a heater is generally employed to soften the thermoplastic sheet of the laminate prior to the bending operation. In equipment of the Bechtold type, the operator must use his own judgment to determine when the thermoplastic sheet is sufficiently pliable to be bent. If the operator actuates the bend bar before the sheet is sufficiently pliable, the bend junction may crack, and the countertop will be rejectable. Alternatively, if the sheet is heated for too long a period of time it may be marred or damaged, which also results in a rejectable article.
A further deficiency of the Bechtold type machine is that it does not include any device for automatically inserting a cove stick into a cove formed at the bend junction of the laminated blank. In the Bechtold type machine a cove stick must be manually inserted into the cove, and manual operations employed to clamp the cove stick in the cove until the cove stick is firmly secured to the blank, either by the setting up of an adhesive, or by the use of other fastening means, such as screws. These are fatiguing, time consuming operations.
To use the Bechtold CT-12 coving machine, two operators are required to manually lift the laminated blank and properly position it on a work-supporting bed. The lifting of the blank is a fatiguing operation, and the need for two operators, as opposed to one, increases manufacturing overhead costs. Both of these factors are undesirable. In summary, the prior art forming devices for forming fully formed countertops from a completed formed laminated blank have required excessive manual operations leading to a lack of reliability in the manufacturing operation, and excessive manpower requirements leading to unnecessary overhead. The instant invention overcomes the above deficiencies in a simple, economical and reliable manner.